M850i Gran Coupe - BMW does Muscle

Hi all!

I got to test a BMW M850i Gran Coupe and fell completely in love with it. It's a big soft barge with a grunty, ferocious V8. So, quite different than the E90 M3s I also love, but a perfect weapon for terrorizing a highway onramp.

Thanks to its swagger and mean demeanor, I feel like the high-powered 8 series swings at AMGs like the E63. I liked how the M850i could prioritize ride comfort, as BMW has the M8 to defend lap times. Not that a car this heavy is the best track tool, anyway.

Do you all like the 8-series? Its a different flavor than an M3, but still delicious to me!

Best,
Mike

I really like the 8 series but unfortunately havent had the chance to drive one. Your positive comments are encouraging too. The girlfriend just got an X5 so it dawned on me that i dont need an suv anymore... The 8 series started looking pretty good.

Asianoak They are pretty fun. This was the event I did. I don't see an Oregon event this fall, but there is a Seattle event if you're up for a drive. The trick is to arrive very first thing in the morning so you can get in a bunch of test drives before anyone else appears!

That sounds like a blast. I'll have to see if dates line up for me

I leased an M8. Thought it would replace my e92. I was soooo wrong. The e92 is so much better I ended up dumping the M8 after less than a year of ownership and took a financial hit. I have a comprehensive write up about it in this section.

Longboarder wrote

I leased an M8. Thought it would replace my e92. I was soooo wrong. The e92 is so much better I ended up dumping the M8 after less than a year of ownership and took a financial hit. I have a comprehensive write up about it in this section.

Any chance you could point me to the writeup? Tried to search for it but wasn't able to find it.

VR1 wrote

Any chance you could point me to the writeup? Tried to search for it but wasn't able to find it.

Just scroll down a bit. The thread title is: M8 Competition.

enjoyed the read - another great writeup!

I've been getting interested in a M550i for the concept of something primarily comfortable but decisively quick - short commutes to the office and bay area traffic have taken away some of the joy of the E92. though I don't think I will commit wholly in that direction, it's good to see that your M850i impressions align pretty well with what I thought it'd be like.

the 4700lb weight is notable though - does it feel 600lbs different from the m850i 2-door?

bipp wrote

enjoyed the read - another great writeup!

I've been getting interested in a M550i for the concept of something primarily comfortable but decisively quick - short commutes to the office and bay area traffic have taken away some of the joy of the E92. though I don't think I will commit wholly in that direction, it's good to see that your M850i impressions align pretty well with what I thought it'd be like.

the 4700lb weight is notable though - does it feel 600lbs different from the m850i 2-door?

It was a year between my M850i coupe and gran coupe drives, so I can't really compare the weight. My guess is that both cars are going to feel heavy coming out of an E92.

BTW, I drove a 540i M Sport recently and thought that was a great sleeper. Given how fun the 540i was, I think the M550i could be a hoot as a commuter.

Longboarder How was the ride quality on the M8? Stiff or wafting?

I have it in my head that these big modern M cars ride firm, but maybe I'm wrong!